Force Or Torque Measurement Patents (Class 702/41)
  • Patent number: 12257722
    Abstract: A method, a robot, and a computer program product for detecting and evaluating a friction status in at least one joint of a robotic arm, wherein, within the scope of a brake test program, at least one motor of a plurality of electric motors is driven automatically in a first rotational direction, wherein a detection of a first motor torque in the driven motor takes place during its rotation in the first rotational direction. The at least one motor is then driven in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotational direction, wherein a detection of a second motor torque in the driven motor takes place during its rotation in the second rotational direction. An automatic evaluation of the first motor torque and the second motor torque takes place in order to obtain the friction torque of the joint associated with the driven motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: KUKA Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Karsten Monreal
  • Patent number: 12257488
    Abstract: An electronic boxing bag including a heavy bag assembly, a gloves assembly, a band assembly, and a computerized device assembly. The bag assembly has a bag with a sensor, a speaker, a screen, and a camera embedded therein. The sensor collects hitting performance data. The data is displayed on the screen and in the computerized device. The gloves assembly and the band assembly include sensors to measure training data of the wearer. The gloves assembly, band assembly, and heavy assembly are connected to the computerized device through a communication network. Multiple heavy bags are connectable to permit training between multiple users. The electronic boxing bag provides real time visual feedback while training.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Inventor: Erica Marino
  • Patent number: 12248776
    Abstract: A terminal control program according to the present disclosure causes a terminal apparatus to perform: receiving model information and version information that have been automatically transmitted from a fishing electric reel in response to a first request transmitted according to a user's operation; storing a reel control program of a latest version of the fishing electric reel of a model indicated by the model information; transmitting the reel control program of the latest version to the fishing electric reel, in a case where a version indicated by the received version information does not match the latest version; and changing a screen for setting or displaying reel information to the screen that corresponds to the reel control program of the latest version.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: GLOBERIDE, INC
    Inventors: Shuta Kano, Hiroya Nagasawa, Yukihisa Miya
  • Patent number: 12239552
    Abstract: Medical devices coupled to a sensor, and systems including such devices, can generate data and analysis based on that data, which may be used to identify and/or address problems associated with the implanted medical device, including incorrect placement of the device, unanticipated degradation of the device, and undesired movement of the device. Also provided are medical devices coupled to a sensor, and devices and methods to address problems that have been identified with an implanted medical device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Canary Medical Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Gross, Peter J. Schiller, William L Hunter, Fred Cushner, Patrick M. Aubin
  • Patent number: 12232864
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for estimating 3D poses of a subject based on tactile interactions with the ground. Test subject interactions with the ground are recorded using a sensor system along with reference information (e.g., synchronized video information) for use in correlating tactile information with specific 3D poses, e.g., by training a neural network based on the reference information. Then, tactile information received in response to a given subject interacting with the ground can be used to estimate the 3D pose of the given subject directly, i.e., without reference to corresponding reference information. Certain exemplary embodiments use a sensor system in the form of a pressure sensing carpet or mat, although other types of sensor systems using pressure or other sensors can be used in various alternative embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Wojciech Matusik, Antonio Torralba, Michael J. Foshey, Wan Shou, Yiyue Luo, Pratyusha Sharma, Yunzhu Li, Tomas Palacios
  • Patent number: 12233923
    Abstract: A measurement method includes: generating second measurement data by performing filter processing on first measurement data; calculating a first deflection amount based on an approximate equation of deflection of a structure; calculating a second deflection amount by performing filter processing on the first deflection amount; calculating a third deflection amount based on the second deflection amount and a first-order coefficient and a zero-order coefficient which are calculated based on the second measurement data and the second deflection amount; calculating an offset based on the zero-order coefficient, the second deflection amount, and the third deflection amount; calculating a static response by adding the offset and a product of the first-order coefficient and the first deflection amount; calculating a first dynamic response by subtracting the static response from the first measurement data; calculating a second dynamic response by attenuating an unnecessary signal from the first dynamic response; and
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 12232884
    Abstract: Disclosed are a robot that may allow a user to monitor a state and a posture of the user in real time to perceive a state of health and the posture and receive useful contents that are helpful, and effectively help the health and correction of the posture of the user, and a real-time posture monitoring method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Morethings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Kyung Kwak, Ji Won Oh, Hwan Il Park, Jeong Min Han
  • Patent number: 12213191
    Abstract: A system and method establishing control of affordances at a workstation. The method includes the steps of storing affordance preferences in a database for a plurality of portable affordance settings that may be present at a workstation, detecting a subset of affordances present within a first zone associated with the workstation, for each detected affordance in the subset, identifying an affordance setting in the database indicating a user preference, and automatically controlling settings of at least each of the detected affordances in the subset to match the user preferences for the detected affordances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Darrin Sculley, Bo Anderson, Rachel Anne Neiman, Brandon Buckingham
  • Patent number: 12162738
    Abstract: Robots and sensor systems having a compliant member for maintaining the position of a sensor are disclosed. In one embodiment, a robot includes a rigid surface, one or more compliant members attached to the rigid surface, and a sensor device. The sensor device includes an inflatable diaphragm operable to be disposed around the one or more compliant members, the inflatable diaphragm having a port, and a pressure sensor fluidly coupled to the port and operable to detect a pressure within the inflatable diaphragm. The one or more compliant members prevent lateral movement and rotational movement of the sensor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Alexander Alspach, Andrew M. Beaulieu, Aimee S. Goncalves
  • Patent number: 12164291
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method, a data processing system, and a computer program product for indicating a failure of a manufacturing process, as well as a corresponding manufacturing machine and a computer-implemented method of training a machine learning system (MLS) for indicating states of a manufacturing process, are provided. An input signal of a sensor is transformed into a parameter. The parameter is provided to the MLS, which derives latent features. The latent features are mapped into one of a number of distinct clusters each representing a mode of the manufacturing process. A failure of the manufacturing process based on the different states of the manufacturing process may be indicated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Thorsten Reimann
  • Patent number: 12147212
    Abstract: A method includes receiving first sensor data, generated during a manufacturing process by sensors associated with a substrate manufacturing chamber. The method further includes receiving simulated sensor data generated by a trained physics-based model. The method further includes determining which one or more components of the manufacturing chamber contribute to a difference between the first sensor data and the simulated sensor data. The method further includes causing performance of a corrective action in view of the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkata Ravishankar Kasibhotla, Tao Zhang, Xiaoqun Zou, Bala Shyamala Balaji
  • Patent number: 12135207
    Abstract: This device includes: an input unit for receiving a shape of an inspection target surface of a wedge exposed from a slot with no force applied to the wedge; a relation storage unit which acquires and stores, as a deformation reaction force relation, a relation between a reaction force of a spring at the inspection target surface of the wedge and deformation distribution from the shape of the inspection target surface of the wedge inputted to the input unit; a measurement unit for measuring measurement deformation distribution of the inspection target surface of the wedge; an estimation unit for estimating an estimation reaction force from the measurement deformation distribution and the deformation reaction force relation; and a judgement unit for judging proper/fault about looseness of the wedge from the estimation reaction force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI GENERATOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norihiko Hana, Masao Akiyoshi, Daichi Goto, Kazuaki Ogura
  • Patent number: 12134391
    Abstract: A tire longitudinal stiffness estimation system includes an electronic communication system disposed on a vehicle. A sensor is disposed on the vehicle in communication with the electronic communication system, and a processor is accessible through the electronic communication system. The sensor measures parameters associated with the vehicle and communicates data for the parameters to the processor. A mu slip curve generator receives the parameters to generate a mu slip curve in real time from the data. An extraction module extracts raw data from a linear portion of the mu slip curve. A denoising module de-noises the raw data from the mu slip curve by determining a vector for the raw data, an orientation of the vector, and a heading of the vector. The denoising module generates de-noised data, and a stiffness calculator receives the de-noised data and generates a longitudinal stiffness estimate for the tire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
    Inventors: Arash Nouri, Kanwar Bharat Singh
  • Patent number: 12090904
    Abstract: A seat provided in a moving body includes: at least one piezoelectric sensor including a first surface located on a side of a body of a sitter and a second surface located opposite the first surface, the piezoelectric sensor configured to sense heartbeat-induced body vibrations of the sitter through the first surface; and at least one supporting member disposed inside a recess which is formed in at least one of a seating surface of the seat and a back surface of the seat, the supporting member supporting the piezoelectric sensor under the second surface of the piezoelectric sensor. A gap is provided in at least part of an area between a surface of the supporting member and an inner wall of the recess so that the surface of the supporting member and the inner wall of the recess do not come into contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masashi Tsukada, Wataru Hayashi, Koji Kaneda
  • Patent number: 12078561
    Abstract: An optical sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a light emitting substrate and a circuit board. The light emitting substrate includes a light emitting device. The circuit board is provided at a position opposing the light emitting device. The circuit board includes a light transmitting section and one or multiple light receiving devices. The light transmitting section transmits light of the light emitting device. The one or multiple light receiving devices receive light reflected by a reflective layer of the light of the light emitting device exiting through the light transmitting section. For example, the one or multiple light receiving devices are formed on a first major surface of the circuit board. For example, the light emitting substrate is disposed at a position opposing a second major surface, of the circuit board, on an opposite side to the first major surface, and is stacked on the circuit board with a first bump interposed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignees: Sony Group Corporation, Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoko Katsuhara, Hiizu Ohtorii, Kei Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 12061126
    Abstract: A pressure sensing device (1000) comprises first and second electrodes (10, 20) spaced from each other by a distance. At least one of the electrodes is formed of/comprises a unitary piece of non-metallic conductive material. The distance is changeable in response to a pressure/force applied to the first and/or second electrode. The device comprises a measurement module (500) connected to the first/second electrode at a plurality of sensing points (S1 . . . ). The measurement module is configured to measure a change in capacitance between the first and second electrodes, in response to a change in the distance when a pressure/force is applied to the first and/or second electrode, at each sensing point individually and/or at all sensing points simultaneously. The measurement module is configured to determine the location, area and amount of applied pressure on the first and/or second electrode from the individual measurements, and/or the amount of the applied pressure from the simultaneous measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2024
    Assignee: TANGI0 LIMITED
    Inventors: Ilan Johan Eduardo Olivarez Correa, Chia-hung Lin, Francesca Perona, Jose Rodriguez Javaloyes, Victor Bellvert Giner, Liucheng Guo, Ming Kong
  • Patent number: 12048998
    Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating deformation and field of contact forces are described. A method includes generating a reference configuration including reference points in space. The reference configuration corresponds to an initial shape of a membrane prior to contact with the manipuland. The method further includes receiving raw data from a TOF device. The raw data includes points in space measured by the TOF device and indicating deformation of the membrane due to contact with the manipuland. The method further includes determining deformation of the membrane that best approximates a current configuration in a least squares sense while satisfying a discrete physical model enforced as a linear constraint that corresponds to a linearized physical model of the deformation that is discretized with an FEM, linearizing the relationship, and estimating deformation and field of contact forces by solving a least squares formulation with physical constraints cast as a sparse quadratic program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Naveen Kuppuswamy, Alejandro M. Castro, Alexander Alspach
  • Patent number: 12048556
    Abstract: A method and system for determining rehabilitation treatment of a joint, the method comprising communicatively connecting to a plurality of sensors attached to an individual at muscles in a joint area, wherein the plurality of sensors transmit electrical signals generated by the muscle to the computing device. The method further comprising receiving the electrical signals from the plurality of sensors, generating initial measurement data by evaluating strength and activity level of the muscles based on the electrical signals, and comparing the initial measurement data with reference data, wherein the reference data includes measurements of healthy people with normal muscle function. The method further comprising generating a training plan based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: InBOS GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Paszicsnyek
  • Patent number: 12044586
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a torque sensor for a motor with a controller includes determining a gain of the torque sensor, zeroing a torque reading of the torque sensor, accelerating the motor at a known rate, and determining an inertia of the motor in response to accelerating the motor. Zeroing the torque reading occurs when the motor is in an unloaded and unactivated condition and accelerating the motor occurs when the motor is in an unloaded condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
    Inventors: Jaimeen Kapadia, Richard Lech, Mark MacLeod, Chi Min Seow, Michael Zemlok
  • Patent number: 12028014
    Abstract: A method may include obtaining a normal set point of a solar panel and a wind velocity measurement corresponding to wind that affects the solar panel. The method may include determining an allowable range of tilt angles according to a first lookup table that describes a relationship between the wind velocity measurement and the allowable range of tilt angles. The method may include identifying whether the normal set point of the solar panel is outside of the allowable range of tilt angles, and responsive to identifying that the normal set point of the solar panel is outside of the allowable range of tilt angles, determining a temporary stow set point. The method may include rotating the solar panel to the temporary stow set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: ARRAY TECH, INC.
    Inventors: Lucas Creasy, Todd DarVel Andersen, Jon Andrew Sharp, James John Stoshak, Sanket Shah, James Fusaro
  • Patent number: 12000504
    Abstract: A multifunctional electro-hydraulic flow control valve and a flow control method. The control valve comprises a main valve, a proportional pilot valve, a flow sensor, a multifunctional valve controller, a control cavity pressure sensor, an oil inlet pressure sensor, an oil outlet pressure sensor, a temperature sensor and a cloud storage. The invention has the characteristics that a flow of the main valve is continuously controlled without being influenced by load change without installing a pressure compensator in the system, and meanwhile, the valve has the function of a flow sensor, has low pressure loss and wide flow control range, and realizes integration of flow detection and control; and information such as flow, power and efficiency of each part in a hydraulic system is monitored in real time based on a multifunctional controller, key operation state monitoring, service life prediction and fault positioning of the control valve are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: TAIYUAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Long Quan, Xingyu Zhao, Lei Ge, Weinan Huang, Bo Wang
  • Patent number: 12001993
    Abstract: An IoT sampling system that includes a set of adhesive tape platforms. Each adhesive tape platform has zero or more wireless transducing circuits applied according to a sampling frequency that is based on a predetermined criteria. Each applied wireless transducing circuit further having a predetermined role and on one or more features based on the predetermined criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Inventors: Ajay Khoche, Hendrik J. Volkerink
  • Patent number: 11998314
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides system and method for monitoring of at least one physiological parameter of a person engaged in a physical activity, for example, an impact received by a player engaged in a contact sport such as football. The system includes a monitoring unit that actively monitors the physiological parameter of the person, wherein the monitoring unit generates an alert event when the monitored physiological parameter exceeds a threshold of the parameter. The monitoring unit determines whether the parameter exceeds an over-exposure threshold, wherein said threshold is based upon both a single incidence or cumulative incidences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Riddell, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Chu, Richard M. Greenwald, Jonathan G. Beckwith
  • Patent number: 11965774
    Abstract: A vibration dose measurement apparatus 10 for an operator's hand 1 comprises a sensing assembly 20 connected to a control unit 25. The sensing assembly 20 comprises an accelerometer 21, gyroscope 22, and gripping force sensor 23 and may be packaged within a protective housing (not shown). By monitoring output of the sensor assembly 20, the vibration dose experienced by the hand 1 can be estimated. In the present invention, the provision of gripping force sensor 23 allows for vibration dose measurement to be adjusted based on the output of gripping force sensor 23. This can therefore take into account the force applied by an operator in gripping machinery, which can impact significantly on the effective vibration dose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: COVENTRY UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Andrei Mihai Feraru, James Marcus Griffin
  • Patent number: 11962652
    Abstract: A method of using a sensor platform of a garment of a wearer in order to interact with a remote networked device using a plurality of sensed biometric data, the method comprising: receiving from the sensors a set of the plurality of biometric data; comparing the set to a data model including a plurality of model data parameters; determining whether said comparing indicates a need for a command to be sent to the remote networked device in order to effect a change in an operational characteristic of the networked device; sending the command to the networked device; receiving a further set of the plurality of biometric data; further comparing the further set to the data model; and determining whether said further comparing indicates a need for a further command to be sent to the remote networked device in order to further effect a change in an operational characteristic of the networked device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Inventors: S. Ali Etemad, Daniel Stone, Adrian Straka, Rishabh Gupta, Abdul Javaid, Mark Klibanov
  • Patent number: 11934589
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for configuring a mouse device (102) through pressure detection, and further proposes a corresponding mouse device (102). Pressure detected between the mouse device (102) and an operation surface (104) may be obtained. An operating state corresponding to the pressure may be determined. The mouse device (102) may be configured to the operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Masaaki Fukumoto, Hao Zhuang, Jianjun Ju, Paul Kos, Nicolas Schmitt
  • Patent number: 11885702
    Abstract: A power measurement device, which may be mounted to an inside area of a crank arm, includes processing circuitry within a housing. The processing circuitry is coupled with strain gauges mounted on the crank arm, and produces a power value that is wireless transmitted to a separate display that may receive and display power measurements. The housing may include a mounted portion and a cantilever portion where the mounted portion houses the processing circuitry and the cantilever portion houses batteries supply energy for the processing circuitry and other features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Foundation Fitness, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew P. Lull, Eric Golesh
  • Patent number: 11835425
    Abstract: A method of evaluating a structural integrity of an aerial vehicle comprising one or more engines comprises selectively driving said engine/s of said aerial vehicle according to a driving pattern unsuitable to put or maintain the aerial vehicle in flight, recording a vibrational response of at least a part of the aerial vehicle to said selective driving of said engine/s, determining a plurality of modal parameters of said vibrational response, in particular an eigenfrequency of said vibrational response and/or a damping factor corresponding to said eigenfrequency, and classifying said structural integrity based on a deviation of said plurality of modal parameters from baseline modal parameters for said aerial vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg
    Inventors: Florian Olbrich, Christian Pongratz, Rudolf Bierl, Ingo Ehrlich
  • Patent number: 11788911
    Abstract: For estimating motor torque and velocity, a method estimates a velocity profile for a motor based on line-to-line voltages and phase currents for the motor. The velocity profile is estimated without a position input and a velocity input. The method further estimates a torque profile for the motor based on the line-to-line voltages, the phase currents, and a time interval of the velocity profile of motor velocities greater than a velocity threshold, and wherein the motor is operating over the time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Aderiano M. da Silva, Michael Cromheecke, Robert Miklosovic
  • Patent number: 11764479
    Abstract: Provided are a new antenna, a bicycle including the new antenna, a display apparatus including the new antenna, and an unmanned aircraft including the new antenna. An antenna includes a first conductor, a second conductor facing the first conductor in a first direction, a third conductor, a fourth conductor, and a feeding line electromagnetically connected to the third conductor. The third conductor is located between the first conductor and the second conductor, apart from the first conductor and the second conductor, and extends in the first direction. The fourth conductor is connected to the first conductor and the second conductor and extends in the first direction. The first conductor and the second conductor are capacitively connected via the third conductor. The antenna is disposed in a bicycle component of a bicycle such that the fourth conductor faces the bicycle component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sunao Hashimoto, Nobuki Hiramatsu, Hiroshi Uchimura, Yasuhiko Fukuoka, Masato Fujishiro, Toi Kanda
  • Patent number: 11747362
    Abstract: In a method for determining vibrations generated by a device, first vibration measurements are received from a first accelerometer coupled to the device, the first vibration measurements comprising a first device vibration contribution and a first environmental vibration contribution, wherein the device is located within an environment comprising a plurality of devices capable of generating vibrations. Second vibration measurements are received from a second accelerometer located within the environment and not connected to the device, the second vibration measurements comprising a second device vibration contribution and a second environmental vibration contribution. The first vibration measurements and the second vibration measurements are compared. Based on the comparing, the first device vibration contribution is estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventors: Ardalan Heshmati, Mahdi Heydari, Jibran Ahmed
  • Patent number: 11732696
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for determining reliability of one or more load sensors in a wind turbine. The method comprises measuring loads with the load sensors during operation of the wind turbine; determining in-plane moments based on the measured loads; selecting the in-plane moments with 1 p frequency; and comparing the selected in-plane moments with theoretical in-plane moments due to a mass of the blade. The method then comprises determining that the load sensors have reduced reliability if the selected in-plane moments deviate from the theoretical in-plane moments by more than a first threshold value. The present disclosure also relates to wind turbine systems incorporating load sensors and methods for on-line determination of correct functioning of load sensors mounted on a wind turbine blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
    Inventors: Efren Albisu Iso, Pedro Arroyo Beltri
  • Patent number: 11721423
    Abstract: The present invention provides group performance monitoring systems and methods. In one exemplary embodiment, a group monitoring device includes a display configured to display, during an athletic activity, a plurality of individual performance metrics relating to a plurality of individuals engaged in the athletic activity, each individual performance metric relating to one of the plurality of individuals; and an input to manipulate the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: adidas AG
    Inventors: Meg Susan Burich, Qaizar Hassonjee, Roger Armitage, Markus Strecker, Hagen Diesterbeck
  • Patent number: 11709050
    Abstract: A position measurement method is used by a device including an imaging unit and a position detector that detects a position of the imaging unit to measure, using a detection value at imaging of a measurement point, position coordinates of the measurement point. The method for correcting the detection value from the position detector includes obtaining, with the device, position coordinates of predetermined indices (22) arranged two-dimensionally on a calibration plate (20) as an actual measurement value, obtaining, as a correction value, a difference between the actual measurement value and a true value resulting from transformation of position coordinates of the indices (22) with respect to a reference point on the calibration plate (20), and correcting the detection value from the position detector (8, 9, 10). The imaging unit (3) images measurement points (P) on the measurement target (3) to measure position coordinates of the measurement points (P).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shingo Hayashi, Akihisa Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 11703482
    Abstract: An inventive approach is disclosed to integrate Digital Image Correlation (DIC) with the Acoustic Emission method that may be used for structural health monitoring and assessment of critical structural components in civil, mechanical, and aerospace industries. The inventive approach relies on passively recording acoustic emission across the specimen being tested and activating the DIC cameras automatically to measure deformation on the specimen's surface. The resulting acousto-optic system can be used to determine damage initiation, progressive damage development, identify critical regions and make lifetime predictions of the tested specimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Drexel University
    Inventors: Antonios Kontsos, Ivan Bartoli, Prashanth Abraham Vanniamparambil
  • Patent number: 11700905
    Abstract: A monitoring system includes a shoe and a sole integrated into the shoe. The monitoring system also includes a connection mechanism attached to an underside of the sole and is shaped to connect the sole to a pedal. A pressure sensor is incorporated into the shoe that senses a force exerted on the pedal when the shoe is connected to the pedal through the connection mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: iFIT Inc.
    Inventors: Darren C. Ashby, Scott R. Watterson
  • Patent number: 11699312
    Abstract: A recording system for a vehicle according to an example of the present disclosure includes proximity sensors configured to obtain data indicative of a distance between a vehicle and external objects and at least one vehicle operation sensor configured to obtain data indicative of how a driver is operating the vehicle. A controller is configured to obtain input data for a current monitoring period that includes data from the plurality of proximity sensors and the at least one vehicle operation sensor; utilize a predictive engine to determine whether the input data fulfills a criteria set corresponding to a potential impending vehicle incident; based on the input data fulfilling the criteria set commence saving of the input data from the current monitoring period and subsequent monitoring periods in a data set; and based on the input data not fulfilling the criteria set delete the input data for the current monitoring period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Stoneridge Electronics, AB
    Inventor: Darren Schumacher
  • Patent number: 11669055
    Abstract: A vibration suppression device that suppresses vibration of an operation unit in a mechanical system having a natural vibration mode including the operation unit, an actuator unit that operates the operation unit, and an elastic body that couples the operation unit and the actuator unit, the vibration suppression device including a generation means for generating a drive signal for driving the actuator unit, an estimation means for estimating a measurement amount related to the mechanical system, a correction means for correcting the drive signal generated by the generation means on the basis of the measurement amount estimated by the estimation means, and a change means for changing a gain used by the estimation means so that an influence of an increase in a modeling error becomes small in a period in which the modeling error of the mechanical system increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: KOBE STEEL, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Nishida, Mami Yomoda, Naoki Kida
  • Patent number: 11640487
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for space frame design involves constructing a load stress map in a geometrical boundary representation of a design space, defining attachment points and load application points in the design space, creating a starting network of interconnecting lines between each two of the attachment points and load application points in the design space, assigning load application factors to each line of the starting network of interconnecting lines based on values of the load stress map, generating potential space frame designs by culling different subsets of lines of the starting network of interconnecting lines for each potential space frame design according to variable culling parameters, evaluating the potential space frame designs with respect to optimization parameters, combining the culling parameters for the potential space frame designs the performance score of which is above a predefined performance threshold, and iterating the steps of generating potential space frame designs and e
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: AUTODESK, INC.
    Inventors: David Benjamin, Danil Nagy, Damon Lau, Dale Zhao
  • Patent number: 11633859
    Abstract: A robot including a robot mechanism including joints and drive units, a control unit controlling the drive units so that an inspection operation to inspect one target drive unit among the drive units is executed by the robot mechanism, and a notification unit notifying maintenance information of the target drive unit based on a current value of a motor of the target drive unit during the inspection operation, or on information associated with the current value, and the inspection operation includes transmitting, to the motor of the target drive unit, control command to rotate a joint as much as a predetermined rotation angle, and thereby moving a tip of the robot mechanism or a tool at the tip, close to an object at a predetermined position from a predetermined start position, to press the object, and separating the tip of the robot mechanism or the tool away from the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaname Kikuchi, Tomoyuki Motokado, Toshihiko Inoue
  • Patent number: 11619525
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a sensor and sensor mounting comprising a housing having an end section, wherein the end section is designed for mounting of the sensor. First communication capabilities are arranged in the housing and are designed for the wireless transmission of power to the sensor and for the wireless transmission and reception of data to and from the sensor. First retaining capabilities are designed to hold the sensor in the end section, and connecting capabilities, which are connected at least to the communication capabilities, are designed to connect the sensor mounting to a superordinate unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Endress+Hauser Conducta GmbH+Co. KG
    Inventors: Torsten Pechstein, Stefan Pilz, Sebastian Geissler, Thomas Pfauch
  • Patent number: 11609137
    Abstract: For estimating motor torque and velocity, a method estimates a velocity profile for a motor based on line-to-line voltages and phase currents for the motor. The velocity profile is estimated without a position input and a velocity input. The method further estimates a torque profile for the motor based on the line-to-line voltages, the phase currents, and a time interval of the velocity profile of motor velocities greater than a velocity threshold, and wherein the motor is operating over the time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Aderiano M. da Silva, Michael Cromheecke, Robert Miklosovic
  • Patent number: 11609265
    Abstract: In some examples, a circuit may be configured to perform a method that includes performing a circuit function via a circuit function unit of a circuit, receiving sensor data from one or more sensors associated with the circuit function unit, and estimating a remaining life of the circuit based on an accelerated reliability model and the sensor data, wherein the sensor data comprises input to the accelerated reliability model. The circuit itself may include a dedicated circuit unit that estimates the remaining life of the circuit based on an accelerated reliability model and the sensor data, and the circuit may output one or more predictive alerts or predictive faults when the remaining life is below a threshold, which may prompt the system for predictive maintenance on the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Ludwig Rossmeier, Georg Georgakos, Bernhard Gstoettenbauer, Dirk Hammerschmidt, Veit Kleeberger, Rafael Zalman, Thomas Zettler
  • Patent number: 11605000
    Abstract: A computer includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor such that the computer is programmed to input to a trained machine learning program, (1) a sensor fusion error that measures a statistical correlation of data received from a radar sensor and a second sensor in a vehicle, (2) a radar detection range, (3) an amount of reflection from a radar radome, (4) weather data, and (5) aerodynamic data that measures an aerodynamic drag opposing a vehicle motion, and to output from the trained machine learning program a determination concerning a presence of the radar radome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Michael Herman, Brian Quinn Kettlewell
  • Patent number: 11604118
    Abstract: A module test machine includes a frame, a fixture, at most two actuators coupled to the fixture, and a controller. The frame is couplable to a first end of a strut module. The fixture is couplable to a second end of the strut module. The fixture includes a plurality of arms with a plurality of adjustable lengths. The at most two actuators are coupled to two of the plurality of arms and configured to impart a plurality of loads along six axes of force at the second end of the strut module. The controller is configured to control the at most two actuators in response to at most two actuator vectors. The plurality of adjustable lengths and the at most two actuator vectors are configured to replicate road load data at the second end of the strut module while under test.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Alexander J. Dan, Scott P. Sherman, Timothy J. Colosky, Jarred J. Versical
  • Patent number: 11599989
    Abstract: In an inspection method and apparatus, when thermal image data with respect to cap sealing of a particular container is analyzed and a low confidence score is obtained, products are classified into a user check product by a rejection-process of separating the products, without determining the products to be good products or not good products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Inventors: Seoung Je Jo, Jae Hun Park, Boo Han Lee
  • Patent number: 11568106
    Abstract: One example method of operation may include creating a force approximation of a number of nodes in a defined space at an initial time (t0), the force approximation being based on a data realization simulation model of an n-body simulation, where n is an integer greater than one. The method may also include determining initial displacement changes of one or more of the nodes within the defined space has occurred in the force approximation, summing the initial displacement changes of the one or more of the nodes to create a summed total displacement, creating an initial displacement threshold (Td) based on the summed total displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Two Six Labs, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Paul Gove, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11560763
    Abstract: A wrench assembly comprises an upper clamp assembly adapted to grip a first tubular, a lower clamp assembly coupled to the upper clamp assembly, the lower clamp assembly adapted to grip a second tubular, wherein the upper clamp assembly includes a plurality of torqueing cylinders coupled thereto, and a torque detection circuit in fluid communication with the torqueing cylinders, wherein the torque detection circuit is configured to apply a rotational force to the upper clamp assembly for a predetermined period of time prior to applying a target torque value to complete a threaded connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Forum US, Inc.
    Inventor: Mithun Singla
  • Patent number: 11543313
    Abstract: A bicycle power meter includes a strain gauge, a signal processing unit, a processor, and a signal transmitter. The strain gauge is disposed on at least one of an outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall of a handlebar of a bicycle. The signal processing unit connected to the strain gauge by signal correspondingly outputs an electrical signal based on a deformation of the handlebar detected by the strain gauge. The processor connected to the signal processing unit by signal receives the electrical signal sent by the signal processing unit and calculates a measuring value based on the electrical signal and sends the measuring value in an output signal. The signal transmitter connected to the processor by signal receives the output signal sent by the processor and converts the output signal to a wired or wireless signal and sends the wired or wireless signal to a terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: TIEN HSIN INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Meng-Hua Chiang, Wei-Chih Wei
  • Patent number: 11536622
    Abstract: A bicycle power meter includes a strain gauge, a signal processing unit, a processor, and a signal transmitter. The strain gauge is disposed on at least one of an outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall of a stem of a bicycle. The signal processing unit connected to the strain gauge by signal correspondingly outputs an electrical signal based on a deformation of the stem detected by the strain gauge. The processor connected to the signal processing unit by signal receives the electrical signal sent by the signal processing unit and calculates a measuring value based on the electrical signal and sends the measuring value in an output signal. The signal transmitter connected to the processor by signal receives the output signal sent by the processor and converts the output signal to a wired or wireless signal and sends the wired or wireless signal to a terminal device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: TIEN HSIN INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Meng-Hua Chiang, Wei-Chih Wei